Matt Eberflus Didn't Hold Back His Assessment Of Braxton Jones

Braxton Jones is easily one of the biggest stories of the 2022 NFL draft. Here's a kid that played for a 1-10 Southern Utah team in the FCS. That makes it beyond difficult to get noticed. However, GM Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears liked what they saw at the Senior Bowl and other pre-draft events. They felt his size, length, and athletic profile could translate to the pro level. He needed some technique work and better coaching. That responsibility fell to Matt Eberflus and his staff. It's safe to say they've done their job.

Jones has started every game at left tackle for the Bears this season. That is unheard of for a rookie 5th round pick. What makes it even crazier is how well he's played over the past month, allowing only four total pressures on the quarterback. He's also their second-best run blocker behind Teven Jenkins. Eberflus was asked about Jones' progress during his Monday presser coming off the bye week. He praised the rookie for what he's done but also didn't miss the opportunity to point out what he still needs to fix.

Matt Eberflus is correct in his Jones assessment.

The rookie has done a tremendous job with his hand technique, footwork, and recognition of blitzes. The problem is he still has trouble dropping anchor against power rushes. This isn't a huge surprise. He didn't see this level of strength during his time in the FCS. Most defensive ends at that level don't have the traits to shove a 300 lbs human being 5-10 yards backward. Thus Jones never had to learn how to anchor properly. NFL pass rushers almost universally have this ability. It isn't a surprise many of them have worked to exploit this weakness every chance they get.

That will continue until Jones gets it fixed. The NFL is all about studying film, finding holes in a player, and working like mad to expose them. Conversely, it falls on that player to either eliminate those holes or cover them up. Matt Eberflus and offensive line coach Chris Morgan will continue helping him to do that. The upcoming off-season will be an important one. Jones will be able to spend the next several months improving his power base and fine-tuning his fundamentals. Don't be surprised if he's considerably better by this time next year.